Method and apparatus for agitating fluid-separating mediums



1,614,876 1927' T. M. CHANCE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AGITATING FLUID SEPARATING MEDIUMS Filed May 17. 1923 IVITNESSES- INVENTOR.

Patented J'an.;18 1921.1'

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE.

ntenna, 11. omen, or rnniabanrmajranns invntm.

Application filed Kay 17 My invention relates to the operation of methods for separating materials of different specific gravities by means of fluid separat- 1 ng mediums of relatively high specific gravh ity, similar to those descrlbed in United States Patent No. 1,224,138, issued to me May 1, 1917, in which an agitated mixture of liquid, (such as water,) and comminuted insoluble solid matter, (such as artificial or natural 'sand s',) is used as a fluidmedium or fluid mass of relatively high specific gravity, to effect such separation by flotation of v the lighter and sinking of the heavier of .said materials. The methods in resent use for the agitation of such fluid me iums comprise agitation by a rising current of liquid, such aswater, (generally designated as hydraulic agitation) agitation by some type of agitating element, such as revolving stirring arms, vertically reciprocated elements, propeller blades [and the like and agitation by a combination of hydraulic and mechani cal agitation. When hydraulic agitation is used, unless the: hydraulic liquid is .intro-' 'duced at a suflicient number of oints widely enough separated to secure iffusion and mixing of the hydraulic liquid-with the-fluid mass, it is often desirable, inorder to secure such diffusion and mixing, to introduce some auxiliary mixing or agitating means so that the upwardly rising hydraulic liquid, by the time it has reached the upper portion of the said fluid medium,-is sufliciently diffused to produce approximately uniform conditions in the upper part or zone in which separation of the materials to be separated is effected.

\Vhen the receptacle in which such separation is effected is made in the form of an inverted cone or pyramid, which types are found convenient for use when it is desired to remove the heavier of the separated materials through a. centrally located discharge in the bottom of the receptacle, and when it is found desirable or advantageous to introduce the liquid for hydraulic agitation at or near the base of such inverted cone or vramid, unless suflicient means are provided for the diffusion of the upwardly risingliquid so admitted throughout the said receptacle, the upwardly rising current of 1923. semi m3. 539,529.

such liquid will tend to have a greater u ward velocity in the central than in t e margiual'portions of the said receptacle.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for the -diffusion of fsaid hyraulic liquid in such manner as'to secure approximately uniform distribution of the upwardly rising hydraulic liquid throughout the upper portion of the receptacle and especially in the region or zoneat'wliich separation of the materials to be separatedis effected. In my present invention the liquid is diffused through the fluid mass'by causing it in whole or in part to pass upwardly through a restricted annular channel or channels between a deflecting element or elements central located, and the side of the'receptacle. his annular channel or channels may extend contin-' uously around the circumference of said deflecting element or may be subdivided into a plurality of ports or openings.

Such deflecting centrally locatedelement may be made of any desired form or shape, suflicie'nt c'learancebetween it and the sides of the receptacle being-provided for, the upward flow of the hydraulic liquid, andthe downward passage of the heavier separated materials which are to pass into and be withdrawn \from the lower portion of the receptaclea Itmay be made in the form of a disc.

cone, cylinder or combination of any of such shapes. While in some cases satisfactory diffusion may thus be obtained without mechanical agitation, it is generally desirable to provide for the rotation of the-deflecting .element in order to secure uniformity in the distribution and diffusion of the hydraulic liquid, so that this liquid will flow upwardly through all parts of thesaid annular channel, and not'tend to shortcircuit through a portion of said annular channel.

In my present'invention I therefore providefor rotation of the said diffusion element although if desired the apparatus can be operated without rotating the said element.

The drawingsiFigs. I and II are central vertical cross-sections and views of apparatus by which my invention may be carried out,Fig. I showing in cross-section a deflecting element in the form of a disc and Fig. II showing view of a deflecting element in the form of two truncated opposed cones surmounted by a cylindrical extension. It will be evident that the truncated cones are merely additions to a deflecting element like that shown by Fig. I and that the centrally mounted cylinder confines the fluid mass used for separation to an annular channel between said-.cylinder'and the periphery of the receptacle.

In the drawings 1 is a receptacle of any suitable shape, shown diagrammatically as an inverted cone, and adapted to hold a fluid mass 2 used as a separating medium for the separation of materials of different specific gravities, liquid for agitating said fluid mass being introduced under pressure 1n the lower part of receptacle I, through the pipe 3, connected to any suitable source of supply of liquid under pressure, and rising through the fluid mass 2, is diffused through the body of said fluid mass by the revolving deflecting or diffusion element 4 of Fig. I and 4, ofFig. II, which causes the upward rising liquid to pass through the annular channel. The stirring arms 5 also act as mixers or diffusers to diffuse the liquid throughout the fluid mass 2, and also act as ploughs or scrapers to prevent the solid constituent of the fluid mass 2 from settling and accumulating upon the conical sides of the receptacle 1.

Figs. I and II both show a narrow annular channel or space between the periphery of the deflector 4, and the periphery at the point of greatest diameter of deflector 4, and the side of the cone, of about equal Width in the two drawings thus forcing the upwardly rising liquid to flow upwardly through this constriction.

Both drawings show two sets of stirring arms below this constriction and but one set above it. As a result of' this construction the smaller volume of sand and water below the annular constriction acted upon by two sets of revolving stirring arms will have a higher speed .of rotation than the much larger volume of sand and water above said constriction which is acted upon by but one set of stirring arms, thus producing a differential movement of translation between the mass above the said constriction and that below it, and causing the distribu-' tion beneath all of the upper portion, of any unequal agitation, local boiling or eddy currents which may be produced or exist in the lower portion, and insuring equal and uniform, (an approximately quiescent,)

condition at the to of the fluid mass, such uniformity of con itions being essential to the efficient use of the fluid mass as a float and sink medium.

It will also be seen that the upper cylindrical extension of the diffuser 4 of Fig.

1 9 and bevel .e. g. in the separation of coal from slate,

soon become loaded with a mass of slate, conical n shape, whlch Wlll perform functions similar to those performed by the up-;.

per conical portion of the deflector 4, so

that the two types of deflectors 4 and 4 W111 function in a somewhat similar manner.

It isvalso evident that slate fed in by the feed chute 8 will not be uniformly distributed around the periphery in the lower part of the cone. Such irregular distribution will cause some lack of uniformity in the velocity of the water rising through different parts ofthe .annular constriction, and may be productive of more or less local boiling andeddy currents, the effect of which will however be distributed beneath all of the upper part of the fluid mass by the differences in the speed of rotation between the lower and upper portions of the fluid mass. The disc deflector 4 is shown with perforations 6 to permit of the upward passage of a portion of the upwardly rising liquid, but such perforations are not essential to the successful operation of my invention, such discs being made perforate or solid'as may be desired or with a plurality of ports 6 located nearenough to the periphery of the deflector 4 to permit most of the liquid to pass through them thus reducing the quantity passing through the annular channel. It will also be understood that the disc while preferably circular is not necessarily of circular form. The deflector 4 shown by Fig. II may be constructed of any suitable materlal and may be hollow or solid as may be desired, and with or without ports such as are illustrated in Fig. I by the perforations 6.

In the drawings the fluid mass 2 is designated by horizontal broken lines and strippling, and liquid overlying the fluid mass is designated by horizontal broken lines. In the drawings a feed chute for intro gucsmg materials to be separated is shown The drawings also illustrate means for rotatlng the deflector shown by the shaft ears 10 and 11, although as already statef rotation of such deflectors in many cases may not be necessary to proper functioning ofthe invention. The outlet or overflow of the apparatus is shown by the overflow trough or chute 12. Y

The diffusion of liquid effected by a re- IOU volv'ing difiusion element of the described type is accomplished not only-by causing t e liquid to pass through the restricted aperture or apertures betweenthe periphery of the diffusion element 4, 4 and the sides of the rece tacle 1, but is assisted in reater or lesser. egree by the centrifugaforce developed in the fluid mass by rotation, and

especially in that portion of the fluid mass which lies in juxtaposition to, or in contact with, the diflusion element; The centrifugal force and the a itation and diffusion efiected thereby may of course be regulated and adjusted to prevent disturbance of the upper part of the fluid m'ass by controlling the ments of many different shapes and types,

the diflusing element may, in fact, be made of almost'any shape, provided it is so designed as to obstruct, the upward central flow of liquid and force it to pass upwardly through a restricted area or areas between the diflusion elementand the side or sides of the containing receptacle and it will there-' fore be understood that the difiusing elements 4 and 4 are intended diagrammatically to represent diflusing elements of any suitable shape, andfurther that such elements may be used in combination with stirring arms of any suitable shape or size as illustrated diagrammatically by 5, 5, 5 in the drawings, or without any such auxiliary diffusing or agitating arms or equivalent structures.

It will be understood that apparatus for usin the method herein described will be provided 'with the adjunctivedevices necessary for the introduction of the materialsto be separated and for their separate removal from the apparatus after separation is effected, such as are illustrated by the drawings of the said Patent No. 1,224,138 or are in common use in jigs, classifiers and other devices used for separating materials of diflerent specific gravities.

In both'drawings the upper part of the fluid medium which is used as the separating medium is shown as an annular body of such medium occupying the region betweenthe shaft 9, or an upward cylindrical extension of the deflector 4, and the inner periphery of receptacle 1, and the deflectors 4, 4 as shown and described distribute the rising agitating liquid and cause its discharge upwardly t rough a restricted annular channel, or through apertures annularly located, at 'a position or positions vertically below the annularly central region of said annular body of separating fluid medium. This delivery of the agitating fluidv is of the essence of ,my invention, because such delivery causes said agitating fluid, in rising and in diffusing upwardly,

to difluse both inwardly and outwardly,

towards both the inner and outward pe-' cuit upwardly near the inner orthe outward periphery of said body and equal or uniform agitation thereof cannot be secured,

Having described my invention, I claim-- I 1. A method for agitating fluid masses composed of liquid and comminuted solids heavier than said liquid and substantially insoluble therein, which consists .in introducing a rising column of liquid under pressure below the central portion of said fluid mass, in controlling the quantity of said rising column to revent bodily upward movement of said fluid mass, in deflecting and restricting the upward flow of said liquid to aregion vertically below, and at a substantial distance from, the annularly central part of the top of said fluid mass and in discharging-said liquid upwardly from said region into the fluid mass dverlyin said region; thus distributing said 1i uid uni formly below said annularly centra portion, whereby said liquid in its upward travel will difiuse both inwardly and outwardly from said annular center producing approximately equal upward velocities of said rising liquidthroughout substantially the whole superficial area of said fluid mass at widt ofsaid fluid mass at the top thereof,

whereby liquid so admitted inv its upward movement will diffuse throughoutsaid fluid mass reaching that portion of fluid mass at the top thereof at greatly reduced velocity,

and in controlling the quantit of said liquid introduced at said locus o introduction,

'whereby the upper portion of said fluid mass, adjacent to the top thereof is continuously and uniformly .supplied with rising liquid, but without producing upward movement of said fluid mass, thus uniformly agitating said upper portion of said fluid mass and creating, maintainin and controllin the specific gravity of sai upper portion 0 said fluid mass substantially constant and uniform throughout the superficial area thereof.

3. Apparatus for the hydraulic agitation of fluid masses composed of liquid and comminuted solids heavier than said liquid and substantially insoluble therein, comprising in combination, a receptacle adapted to contain a fluid mass of the described character;-

a fluid mass of the described character contained therein; means for introducing liq-- uid under pressure into the lower part of said receptacle, means for controlling the quantity of liquid so introduced and means for deflecting and restricting the upward flow of said liquid to a region vertically below and a substantial distance beneath the annularly central interior of the upper part of said receptacle not occupied by other.

structures, said means comprising a deflector located in the lower part of said receptacle and adapted to so deflect and so restrict said upward flow, while permitting the discharge of said liquidupwardly from said region, whereby the rising-liquid is distributed centrally below said annular central 4:. Apparatus for the hydraulic agitation I of. fluid masses composed of liquid and comminuted solids heavier than said liquid and substantially insoluble therein, comprising in combination, a receptacle adapted to contain a fluid mass of the described character a fluid mass of the described character contained thereln; means for introducmg liquid under pressure vertically below and at a depth beneath a region comprising the annularly-central partof the operative top of said receptacle not less than one-half the annular width of the'operative'top of said recept'acle and means for controlling the quantity of liquid so introduced at said locus of introduction.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 'llth day of May, 1923.

THOMAS M. CHANCE. 

